Nozomi's Wish
by Simulated Strawberries
Summary: "Leave it to the mother of Muse to forget her own birthday," Eli says with a quiet giggle, stepping towards Nozomi and gently placing a flower crown upon her head. Cute birthday fluff with Muse! Also NozoEli.


"Hey, Nozomi. I promised Alisa I'd help her out with her algebra after school today, so you won't mind if I leave a bit early, right?" The student council president rises quickly from her desk, placing her pen neatly on the stack of papers and smoothing out her skirt.

Nozomi stares for a moment, caught up in the way the late afternoon sun filters through the window and makes Eli's hair seem to glow. "Of course not. Always such the caring big sister, Elichi~"

"I'll make it up to you, I swear. Parfaits on me next time." As she grabs her bag and slings it over her shoulder, there is a look of anxiousness in her eyes. She begins to hasten towards the door, but before she exits, she gives Nozomi an awkward pat on the head, catching the vice president by surprise and earning her a small blush. "And when you're done for the day, make sure you go straight home, okay?"

Nozomi raises an eyebrow. Was Eli worked up about something? Since when had she become so concerned with her safety? "Hm? Sure, I will. Don't worry yourself so much." She flashes Eli an easy smile, which the other girl weakly attempts to return before leaving and shutting the door behind her.

The heavy silence accompanying Eli's departure should make it easier for her to focus on her work, but Nozomi finds that without the president, she has no one to exchange knowing glances with or tease when the paperwork becomes exceptionally dull. She catches herself nodding off a few times out of boredom, but soon enough, she finishes, making sure to lock the door when she exits.

Nozomi can't remember the last time she walked home by herself like this. She supposes it must have been when she was a first year, when she had just transferred to Otonokizaka. Back then, she expected her school life to carry on as it always had. She'd spend most of her time reading a book at her desk by herself, doing the occasional fortune reading for the girls in her class in the hope that one of them might want to befriend her. Then she'd go home to her empty apartment, rinse, and repeat.

But then she met Eli.

Ever since Nozomi had reached out to her back then, she had never once walked home alone. They lived in the same direction anyway, so it only made sense that they would accompany each other. It was awkward at first; neither of them knew much about how friendship worked or how to hold a proper conversation. But as time went on and they became more comfortable with one another, talking became as easy as breathing, and they began to find solace in each other's silence.

Now, every day is full of laughter and adventure, and Nozomi scarcely remembers what it was like to be alone. She has eight wonderful friends who she loves more dearly than she can explain; they are her family. As she gazes at the sun hanging low over the horizon, she almost feels guilty for feeling a bit lonely despite all the happiness she's been blessed with.

Her mind wanders to the rest of Muse as she climbs the steps to her apartment. Practice had been cancelled today due to nearly everyone having prior engagements. How were all of them faring right now? And hopefully Eli wasn't having too much trouble with Alisa; she looked so perplexed before she left the student council room. As Nozomi shoves the key into the lock, she resolves to make Eli a fresh batch of chocolate cupcakes for all her hard work. Since she was home earlier than normal, she'd have nothing better to do anyway.

She gives the door a slight shove, but stops short when she hears a multitude of popping sounds, followed by what sounds like a horn.

"HAPPY BIRTHDAY, NOZOMI!"

A banner hangs haphazardly from the ceiling and colorful balloons occupy almost every corner of her apartment. When the flurry of streamers begins to collect on the floor, she is met with the exuberant faces of all her friends, peeking out from behind various pieces of furniture.

Towards the back of the room, a balloon pops and makes an obnoxious wheezing sound as it breathes its last.

"Rin, get off of me! You're ruining the moment!" A disgruntled Maki growls.

"I can't help it! I'm just so excited, nya~!"

Nozomi can hardly believe her eyes. Her birthday? Today? And everyone... how did they...?

Before she can process what exactly she's feeling, tears bubble over Nozomi's eyes. "E-everyone..." she blubbers, hiding her face behind her hands in embarrassment.

"Leave it to the mother of Muse to forget her own birthday," Eli says with a quiet giggle, stepping towards Nozomi and gently placing a flower crown upon her head.

Nozomi peeks out at Eli shyly between her fingers. When she speaks, her voice cracks. "E-Elichi, everyone...how did you..."

Eli grins and pulls a key out of her pocket, dangling it in front of Nozomi. "You gave me a spare key, remember?"

"Save the waterworks, won't you? How are you supposed to eat the food the great Nico-nii slaved over when snot's coming out of your nose?"

Nozomi slowly removes her hands from her face, looking down to find the small black haired girl holding out a tray of yakiniku. The smell of the barbequed meat tickles tantalizingly at her nostrils and causes her stomach to growl.

"Niccochi!" Nozomi throws her arms around the tiny girl, locking her in a bear-hug and causing Nico to squirm in agitation. "You shouldn't have!"

"Mmrrf! Get. off. of. me, titty monster!" Nico protests, beginning to suffocate between two rather voluptuous breasts and losing her grip on the tray. Thankfully, Kotori seems to materialize out of nowhere, grabbing it from Nico's unsteady hands and saving the food from an untimely demise.

Nico takes a few moments to regain her composure. "Is this how you thank the world's number one idol?! By suffocating her to death?"

"I'm sorry, Nicocchi," Nozomi manages between laughter, and wipes a tear from the corner of her eye. "I'm just so touched that you'd cook for me!"

"Yeah, well it's a once in a lifetime opportunity, so you'd better be grateful!"

Without a second thought, Nozomi swoops down and grabs a slab of meat between her teeth, devouring it ravenously before a horrified Nico.

"Nozomi! You — you can't just...!"

While Nozomi is distracted, Eli whispers something to Kotori, who nods and disappears into the kitchen.

When she returns, Eli has managed to organize the chaos somewhat, forcing everyone to calm down long enough to gather around the kitchen table. Nozomi sits at the center, face completely red; she still isn't used to being the center of attention.

Hanayo steps forward first, holding a tiny white box with a pretty purple ribbon tied around it. "U-umm, this isn't much, b-but I made you a small gift, N-Nozomi."

As Nozomi takes the gift, she's nearly shaking. What had she done to deserve all of this? Was it really okay for her to be receiving gifts from friends?

She pulls the ribbon off and opens the box to reveal a tiny origami tanuki. It is intricately folded and incredibly detailed; Hanayo has even taken the time to give the creature paws and googly eyes. Nozomi can't help but stare at it in wonder.

"Kayo-chinnn! That's too cute! Almost as cute as you!" Rin leaps from her seat and throws herself around her friend, causing the other girl to giggle in embarrassment.

Then, one by one, the rest of Muse follows suit, presenting her with an array of thoughtful gifts, most of them hand-made. Even Maki took the time to arrange a piano piece specifically for Nozomi. The entire time Nozomi listens to it, Maki stares at the floor, swearing it isn't a big deal, and that she'd have written it even if it wasn't Nozomi's birthday. Nico is quick to point out that Maki's face matches the color of her hair.

Honoka begins to set the table, but before she finishes, she attempts to balance a spoon on her nose. She fails miserably and accidentally allows it and the rest of the silverware she's carrying to fall to the floor.

"Honoka!" Umi gasps in horror. "We are guests in someone else's home!"

Despite her protests, Kotori, Rin, and Hanayo follow suit, and Kotori does a very convincing seal impression while perfectly balancing her spoon on her nose.

"Absolutely shameless, all of you! This is a disgrace to Nozomi's birthday!"

But Nozomi doesn't mind. How could she? Her apartment has never been this lively and fun in her whole life. What starts as a small giggle quickly transforms into full-blown laughter, and before long there is a spoon hanging off her nose as well.

Suddenly, the lights in her apartment are switched off, and the mood in the apartment quickly changes. Nozomi turns towards the faint illumination of candles lighting up Eli's face as she places a birthday cake on the table in front of her.

One look at the cake, and Nozomi can already feel her eyes begin to fog up again. It is intricately decorated with purple frosting on the trim — definitely Kotori's handiwork. But what really catches her attention are the nine cake toppers on the cake made to resemble the members of Muse.

By the time Eli speaks up, Nozomi is already crying.

"Nozomi, from before Muse was even formed, you've always been looking out for us. Even when Honoka, Umi, and Kotori were struggling alone in the very beginning, you were there for them, quietly cheering them on from the sidelines. We wouldn't be here today without you. And I...I'm able to be the person I am today because of you. You're always putting the needs of others so far ahead of your own that you even forget important days like today. So, Nozomi, from the bottom of all of our hearts, thank you, and happy birthday."

Nozomi turns her teary eyes from Eli just in time to see the rest of the table break out into a beautiful rendition of Happy Birthday. She begins to tremble as they sing, and Eli takes notice, wrapping her arms around her and holding her securely.

Nozomi is so happy, so incredibly overwhelmed by emotion, that she nearly convinces herself this is too good to be real. She has never wanted anything more than to have a group of friends to pour her heart and soul into — to have a family in which she truly felt she belonged. As the song comes to a close, she is still wiping tears from her eyes.

"E-everyone, you don't have any idea how much th-this all means to me."

"Well? Are you going to make a wish or not?" Nico chides, but the usual edge in her voice is gone.

Taking a deep breath and closing her eyes, Nozomi blows out the candles and makes her wish.

"I wish to stay with everyone forever."

"Nozomi!" Hanayo squeaks, "you aren't supposed to say it out loud, or it won't—" but she is quickly silenced by Umi's hand.

"Yay! Let's dig in, nya!" Rin dives straight for the cake, seeming to forget all about manners as well as that it was not, in fact, her cake.

"Rin, no! At least let me cut it first!" Eli bolts forward in an attempt to subvert the incoming disaster. Unfortunately, so does Honoka, albeit a few seconds too late. As Eli picks up the cake and pulls it out from Rin's wild grasp, she is too late to prevent the collision, and her arm connects with Honoka's face. Before she can realize what's happening, her tailbone has connected painfully with the floor, and she is keenly aware of the cool feeling of frosting covering her face.

Nico is the first to burst into laughter. Although the rest of Muse tries to be sympathetic towards the tragedy in front of them, it isn't long before they join in as well.

A bewildered and humiliated Eli sits dumbfounded on the floor, trying to piece what little of the cake was left into a cohesive shape. Unfortunately, she is wearing the vast majority of it.

"No-Nozomi!" Eli blubbers, and now she is the one wailing. "I'm so sorry! We all worked so hard to bake this cake together, and now it's ruined! I'll make you a new one, I swear. No, two! I'll make you two! I'll even make you three!" She begins to sulk and hangs her head in total defeat.

Nozomi is quick to join Eli's side, kneeling down in front of her and swiping a finger across Eli's frosting covered cheek.

"Nozomi...? What are you..."

Nozomi winks and slowly licks the frosting off her finger. Eli's face quickly alters from a confused one a to very horrified, very flustered one.

"I think it tastes better this way~ My, Elichi, how did you know this is exactly what I wanted for my birthday?"

"H-huh?!"

Nozomi stands and offers the cake-covered Eli a hand, quickly pulling her to her feet. She turns to face the rest of Muse and flashes them her signature mischievous grin.

"It is _my_ cake, after all. So I'm sure no one will mind if I enjoy it all to myself just this once, right?"

The room is silent. Umi has gone slack-jawed.

Eli is helpless as Nozomi leads her forcefully by the hand into her bedroom.

"Nozomiiiiii!"

Nico groans in exasperation in the distance. "Not again..."

Nozomi smirks and closes the bedroom door behind Eli.

It is a _very_ good birthday, indeed.


End file.
